Articulated train-type rail vehicle

ABSTRACT

A rail vehicle for transporting people, which is in the form of an articulated train-type multiple unit, includes at least two car bodies. Adjoining car bodies are supported on a common central running gear and end car bodies are additionally supported on end running gears. All of the running gears have a distance between the centers of the bogies of two adjoining running gears of from 18 to 21 m, and the end car bodies have a length of from 24 to 27 m.

The invention relates to a rail vehicle for transporting people, whichis in the form of an articulated train-type multiple unit and has atleast two car bodies, wherein adjacent car bodies are supported on acommon central running gear and end car bodies are additionallysupported on end running gears.

Rail vehicles of this kind are often used as regional vehicles, whereinsupporting adjacent car bodies on common central running gears saves onrunning gears in comparison to a rail vehicle in which each car body hasa running gear at each of its ends. A “standard articulated train”typically has a distance between the centers of the bogies of 16 m.Adjacent car bodies share a central running gear and the two car bodiesat the rail vehicle ends are additionally supported on dedicated runninggears which can be called end running gears. For example, in the case ofa 70 m-long vehicle, a standard articulated train consists of four carbodies, wherein the two end car bodies are approximately 19 m long andthe two central car bodies are approximately 16 m long. A rail vehicleof this kind has a total of 5 running gears.

A general requirement of a rail vehicle of this kind is to enable acombination of minimizing the number of all components of the railvehicle and at the same time reducing procurement, energy and/orservicing costs.

Proceeding from the above, the object of the invention is to furtherdevelop the rail vehicle mentioned in the introductory part in such away that the number of all components, in particular the car bodies andrunning gears used, is reduced while approximately maintaining apeople-transporting capacity and the vehicle length.

In the case of the rail vehicle mentioned in the introductory part, thisobject is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

According to said claim, it is provided that all of the running gearshave a distance between the center of the bogies from an adjacentrunning gear of from 19 to 21 m and the end car bodies have a length inthe range of from 24 to 28 m.

In the simplest case, the rail vehicle can therefore be constructed fromtwo end car bodies which are supported on a common central running gear.The weight of a central car body or of the central car bodies, includingthe additional load and components thereof, is preferably calculatedsuch that two central car bodies which are directly adjacent to oneanother and share a central running gear do not exceed a maximumpermissible axle load either. In this case, the rail vehicle can beextended by further central car bodies as desired.

In comparison to the prior art, it is therefore possible to construct,for example, a 70 m-long rail vehicle from only three car bodies. Thereason for this is that the car bodies provided are considerably longerthan those known from the prior art. Longer rail vehicles can berealized by adding at least one further central car body and at leastone further central running gear.

All of the running gears can be equipped with internally mounted bogieframes in such a way that, in the transverse direction of the runninggear, wheels of the running gear are situated further on the outsidethan longitudinal supports of a frame of the running gear. This has theeffect that the total weight of the rail vehicle is considerably reducedowing to the use of internally mounted bogie frames, so that permissiblemaximum axle loads of, for example, 20 t are not exceeded.

In this way, the number of components, such as air-conditioning systems,car transition points, joints or couplings, can be kept lower than in aknown rail vehicle, as is explained above.

Overhangs of the end car bodies preferably extend from a center of theend running gears to the associated rail vehicle end over a length of atleast 5 m. The overhangs can preferably have a length of at least 5.5 m,particularly preferably of 6 m. Overhangs of this length of the end carbodies result in the end running gears being subjected to greaterloading in favor of the central running gears. This in turn allows thecentral running gears to be provided with less weight.

Heavy vehicle components, such as transformers, auxiliary systems and/orbatteries, components in traction technology, the brake or thecompressed air, of the rail vehicle can advantageously be at leastpartially arranged in the region of the overhangs of the end car bodies.This also leads to the central running gears being relieved of weight.

The central running gears can preferably have more than two axles. Thisresults in the car bodies which are supported by a central running gearbeing distributed between at least three axles.

In a configuration with more than two, in particular three, axles, thewheel diameter of the central running gears can be smaller than thewheel diameter of the end running gears. This allows step-free passagethrough the rail vehicle to be achieved overall.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in greaterdetail below with reference to the drawings, with functionally identicalcomponents being identified by the same reference numerals. In thedrawing:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an articulated train-type multipleunit according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of an articulated train-type multipleunit according to a second embodiment,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of an articulated train-type multipleunit according to a third embodiment, and

FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of an articulated train-type multipleunit according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a three-part multiple unit which is suitable for realizinga regional train with a length of approximately 70 m. The multiple unitis constructed from two end car bodies 1 and one central car body 2which is arranged between said end car bodies. The multiple unitcomprises a total of four bogies 3, 4, wherein the end car bodies 1 aresupported on an end running gear 3 and a central running gear 4. The endrunning gears 3 of the end car bodies 1 exhibit overhangs 5 which arelonger than in the prior art. The overhangs 5 have, calculated from thecenter of a bogie of the end running gears 3, a length in the range offrom at least 5 m, preferably at least 5.5 m, particularly preferably atleast 6 m.

The central car body 2 rests on the central running gears 4 which areconfigured as Jacobs bogies with an external running gear frame. Thecentral running gears 4 additionally support the inner ends of the endcar bodies 1. In this case, the respective car bodies 1, 2 do notnecessarily have to be directly supported on the central running gears4. It is also possible for vertical forces which occur at the end of oneof the car bodies to first be transmitted to the adjacent car body andfrom there to the relevant central running gear 4. Similarly, a verticalfulcrum between adjacent car bodies does not have to be eitherphysically present or precisely in the center of a running gear.

Distances between the center of bogies between adjacent running gearsall lie between 19 and 20 m, while the two end car bodies 1 plus half acar transition point to the central car body 2 have a length of from 25to 26 m, and the central car body plus a car transition point is 19 to20 m long. In this case, a length of the end car bodies 1 is at least 24m, preferably at least 25 m, particularly preferably at least 26 m.

The multiple unit according to FIG. 1 is illustrated, by way of example,with roof components, here an air-conditioning system 6, and underfloorcomponents, here a transformer 7, for each car body 1, 2 of the railvehicle. These components are examples of heavy components of themultiple unit which make a significant contribution to the total weightof said multiple unit and are included in the calculation of thepermissible axle load of the running gears 3, 4. In the exemplaryembodiment according to FIG. 1, the air-conditioning systems 6 arelocated on the roofs of the car bodies 1, 2, whereas the transformers 7are arranged underfloor. Both the air-conditioning systems 6 and thetransformers 7 are arranged in the middle between two adjacent runninggears 3, 4.

FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of a multiple unit which largelycorresponds to the design of the multiple unit from FIG. 1. The onlydifference is the design of the running gears provided. Both end runninggears 8 and central running gears 9 are designed as running gears withan internally mounted bogie frame, which means that, in the transversedirection of the respective running gear 8, 9, wheels of the runninggear are situated further on the outside than longitudinal supports of aframe of the running gear. Said internally mounted running gear framesexhibit a lower weight than running gear frames which are mounted on theoutside and as are used, for example, in the multiple unit according toFIG. 1. Therefore, the total weight of the multiple unit drops overall,so that it is possible to construct a train with a length ofapproximately 70 m from three car bodies 1, 2.

A further embodiment of an articulated train-type multiple unit isillustrated in FIG. 3. Said figure shows that heavy components, such asthe air-conditioning systems 6, are arranged in the immediate vicinityof the end running gears 3, wherein at least one heavy component, here abattery 10, as an alternative, for example, transformer, battery,auxiliary systems, is also located in the region of one of the overhangs5. The central running gears 4 are relieved of weight owing to theconcentration of the heavy components in the region of the free ends ofthe multiple unit.

As an alternative to this, it is possible, according to the embodimentaccording to FIG. 4, to provide central running gears 11 with more thantwo axles, here three axles, wherein the heavy components of themultiple unit then no longer have to be concentrated in the region ofthe end running gears. In addition, the central running gears 11 withmore than two axles can be designed with smaller wheel diameters thanthose of the end running gears 3. This allows step-free car transitionpoints between the end car bodies 1 and the central car bodies 2 to beprovided.

If required, further measures can be taken in order to reduce the totalweight of the rail vehicle, in particular to comply with the axle loadlimit. For example, a three-point support of the car bodies 1, 2 (notillustrated) can be provided, so that a single spring and damperarrangement suffices. This can also lead to a reduction in an axle baseof the central running gears 4, 9 with respect to the end running gears3, 8. Curve-dependent lateral play limiting for the car bodies 1, 2 cancontribute to achieving suitable widths of the car bodies 1, 2. Crowningthe car bodies 1, 2 also makes a contribution in this respect. Reducingthe design coefficient of friction, that is to say the quotient betweena starting traction force which is established in an engine controllerof the rail vehicle and the static load on the rail vehicle, to valuesof up to 0.19 is also beneficial here.

1-6. (canceled)
 7. A rail vehicle in the form of an articulatedtrain-type multiple unit for transporting people, the rail vehiclecomprising: at least two car bodies including adjacent car bodies andend car bodies, said end car bodies each having a length in a range offrom 24 to 28 m; common central running gears each supporting arespective two of said adjacent car bodies, and end running gears eachadditionally supporting a respective one of said end car bodies; saidrunning gears including bogies having centers, and all of said runninggears defining a distance between said centers of said bogies ofadjacent running gears of from 19 to 21 m.
 8. The rail vehicle accordingto claim 7, wherein: all of said running gears are equipped withinternally mounted bogie frames having longitudinal supports, wheels anda transverse direction; and said wheels of said running gears aresituated further outside than said longitudinal supports in saidtransverse direction.
 9. The rail vehicle according to claim 7, whereinsaid end car bodies have overhangs each extending from a center of arespective one of said end running gears to an end of the rail vehicleover a length of at least 5 m.
 10. The rail vehicle according to claim9, which further comprises heavy components including at least one oftransformers, auxiliary systems or batteries being disposed at leastpartially in a vicinity of said overhangs of said end car bodies. 11.The rail vehicle according to claim 7, wherein said central runninggears (11) each have more than two axles.
 12. The rail vehicle accordingto claim 11, wherein said running gears have wheels with wheeldiameters, and said wheel diameters of said central running gears aresmaller than said wheel diameters of said end running gears.